Fluid pressure actuated valve



- y 1946- H. N. RIDER FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATED VALVE Filed April 6; 1944 #arrym Zmventor attorney Patented May 14, 1946 UNITED OFFICE V p v 7 2,400,372 V r :FLUIDI'PRESSI'URE ACTUATED VALVE 7 Harry N. Rider, oungstown','(jhio, ass'ignor to Automatic Sprinkler "G'oi'npan-y of America, Youngstown, "Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application 'A riic, 1944,'Seria] ;No.:9,863 v '-4fClaims. (01.;169-19) This invention relates to a fluid pressure-actuated valve. M

The principal object oftheinvention is the'provision of a fluid pressure actuated valve capable of use in controlling the entrance of fire. extin guishing fluid to-a sprinklersystem.

A furtherobject of themvention is the provision of a fluid pressure actuated valve'capable of remote control. I

A still further object of theinventionlistheprovision of a 'fiuid valve of the latched clapper type having fluid pressure actuated means: for unlatching the clapper thereof. The fluid pressure actuated valve shown'a'nd described herein has. been designed *toprovide an efficient and simple valve construction which may be used in any-fluid line 'for the control-"of the fiuidflowtherethrough as it may be actuated by th utilization of the fluidpressure'itcontrols or it may be actuated by the. application to the valve of fluid pressure from another source. 'The .valve element of the fluid pressureactuated valve comprises a clapper which is held in normally closed position by means of a movablelatch which in turn is adapted .for actuation by 'a fluidpressure operated means which in turn is-subject to actuation by the application, thereto of suitable fluid pressure, -as,for example, from a compressed gassource incorporating a remotely actuated control'means, or the application of fluid .pressure to the pressure operated means froin'the flui'd line being controlled,-such application of fluid pressure being subject to remote control. The control ineans controlling the application of fluid pressure to the valve-of the invention-'may'bbviously comprise heat actuated devices whichmay be positioned,-for example, in a fire-zone.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds,

the invention resides in the combination and ar-i souroetothevalve illustrated'inFi ure l.

"Figure 3 is a schematic illustration with par-ts in cross section illustrating mean's'fo'r applying fluid'pressure'iromthe controlled line to the valve illustrated in Figure 1.

This application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application for patent on Pressure tank sprinkler system with secondary supply,

I the lowerend'oi -thelever:31. Thisaction causes V ative position by-means of-aspring 22.

reseating latch 2| is adapted to be moved up- No. 450,659, filed-July 13,-1942 which has: matured into Patent 2,353,116.

By referring to the drawing and Figure :1 in

particulandt will be seen that a fluid pressure actuated valve has been disclosed which-consists of a body member 10 having an inlet H and an outlet l2 and definingachamber 13 in which a clapper -I4. is pivotally mounted by means of a pivot l5,the'clapper l4 seating upon a seat :ring l6 positioned in the body member ID. :Agasket 1 1 is positioned in the clapper -I 4-and is adapted to register with the seat ring 16 so as to efiect a fluidtight closure. Aledge I 8 is formed-on the clapper-I'lat-apoint opposite the pivot I5 thereof andisadapted to register withja latch 1 9 which in turn is pivoted'tothe interiorof the valve body l 0 by. means of a pivot 2 6. A anti-reseating latch 2| is also pivoted on the, pivot 20 and is held inoper- The antiwardly by-the clapper l 4 and to preventathe clap.- per. 1.4 from reseating itself on the seat ring 16 :once'it has opened; The latch t9 ispivotallyattached to a keeper bar 23 by means'of a pivot pin 24- and the keeper-bar '23 passes outwardly through anopenin'g 25in the valve body III which opening 25 is closed about the keeper bar by means Yof a diaphragm 2B. The keeper bar 23 is mounted in a central opening in the diaphragm 26. A back-up plate 21 is alsopositioned over the opening 25 of the valve .body [0 and the outwardly extending endof the keeper 'bar 23 isprovided with a ca'm'construction 28sothat movementmay be applied thereto for actuating thelatch'l9. A housing-29 is attached to the valve body I 0 by suitable means and is in registry with the opening 25 and incorporates therein a chamber 30in which ai'piston 3| and a diaphragmaz are :lo-

'cated. -'A "cap 33 closes the diaphragm chamber ..-z30 and isprovided'with an opening 34 with which aflui'dpressureconveying tube 35 communicates. =Apiston rod 36 surrounded by a spring extends inwardly from the piston 3i and intothe interior of the-housirig 29 and is connected to one end of a lever -31 by means of apivot-38. Thelev'er 31 is pivoted by means-of-a pivot 39'to' the housing 29 and-a palr of cam shaped-"arms I -formed on the opposite endof thelever are adapted to engage th'e' -"cam construction 28 on the adjacently positione'd keeper bar 23. It will thus be-seenthat 'fluid pressure admitted to the device through the tube 35 will move the piston 3| androd against the lever 31 to pivot on the pivot 39 and-th'e'cam s'haped ai'ms to engage the camconstruction 28 ing a schematic illustration of a compressed gas release mechanism such as constitutes the subject matter of my U. s. Patent No. 2,340,143 or January 25, 1944, is indicated by the numeral 4| which mechanism includes a valve 42. The compressed gas release mechanism 4| controls acompressed gas source such as a compressed ,gas cylinder 43 and is capable, upon-actuation, as by a heat actuated device 44, of releasing the compressed gases from the cylinder 43 into a tube 35A which, in actual practice, would connect with the tube 35 heretofore described so that the compressed gases would be brought into engagement with the piston 3| of the valve heretofore described and cause the release of the clapper latch l9. The heat actuated device 44 or air thermostat comprises a sealed chamber as well known in the art and it is connected to the mechanism 4| by a communicating tube 45. The heat actuated device 44 is adapted to confine air and, when subjected to heat, to direct the expanded air through the tube 45 to the compressed gas 'release mechanism 4| where the same serves as the actuating medium. It-will thus be observed that the actuation of the fluid pressure actuated valve illustrated in Figure-l, when utilized in' connectrance of fire extinguishing fluid to the riser 49 of a sprinkler system including distributingpipes such as that indicated by the numeral 50, a sprinkler 5| is positioned on the distributing pipe 50.

The valve illustrated in Figure l is also capable of actuation by the. application of fluid pressure from the inlet side thereof to the piston 3| thereof and such an arrangement is illustrated in Figure 3 wherein a broken away section of .a fluid supply pipe is indicated by the numeral 46 which, in actual practice, would communicate directly with the inlet ll of the valve in Figure 1. A tubular connection35B is subject to the control of a valve 47 and establishes communication between an opening 48 in the fluid supply pipe 46 and the tube 35 of the valve illustratedat Figure l. The valve 41 may be any valve known in the art such as, for example, the fluid release valve and actuating mechanism comprising the subject matter of my joint co-pending application for patent, Serial Number 462,630 filed October 9, 1942. The valve 41 may obviously be capable of remote actuation as by means of suitable heat actuated devices located, in a fire zone. It is understood that the valve illustrated in Figure 1 would be actuated by one, or the other of the mechanisms illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 orby any othermeans of applying fluid pressure to the operating portions of the fluid pressure actuated valve. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a fluid pressure actuated valve including a valve body enclosing a chamber having an opening therein, a clapper pivotally mounted in said chamber, and a latch engaging said clapper to maintainsaid ,clapper in closed position, mechanism controlling the release of the said latch comprising a housing affixed on the said valve body and having a passage in alignment with said opening, an operating lever, means mounting said lever for motion in said housing, means engaging one end of said lever and having one end extending through said opening and pivoted to the said latch, a diaphragm chamber formed on said housing, a piston and diaphragm positioned therein and means between said piston and the other end of the said lever for moving said lever when fluid pressure is applied to the said diaphragm.

2. A fluid pressure actuated valve comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet openings, and a clapper adapted to control the passage of fluid therethrough, an opening formed in said body and a keeper bar positioned in said opening by means of a flexible diaphragm, a latch pivoted in said valve body and adapted to engage said clapper so as to retain it in seated position, the said keeper bar being pivoted to said latch, means for moving the said keeper bar and latch, said means comprising a housing aflixed to the valve body in registry with the said opening, a diaphragm chamber formed in said housing, a diaphragm and pistonassembly positioned in said diaphragm chamber, a lever pivoted in said housing for receiving motion of said piston and applying said motion to said keeper bar and means for introducing fluid pressure into the said chamvberv so as to. actuate the said latch mechanism thereby.

3. A fluid pressure actuated valve comprising a ing, a latchpivoted in said valve body and adapted to engage said clapper so as to retain it in seated position, the said keeper bar being pivotedto said latch, means for moving the said keeper bar and latch, said means comprising a housing aflixed to the valve body in registry with the said opening, a diaphragm chamber formed in said housing, a diaphragm and piston assembly positioned in said diaphragm chamber, a lever pivoted in said housing for receiving motion of said piston and applying said motion to said keeper bar and means for introducing fluid pressure into the said chamber so as to actuate the said latch mechanism thereby.

4. In a fluid pressure actuated valve including a valve body enclosing a chamber having an opening therein, a clapper pivotally mounted in said chamber, and a latch engaging said clapper to'maintain said clapper in closed position, mechanism controlling the release ofthe said latch comprising a member engaging the said latch, a diaphragm associated with the said member for sealing said opening, and a diaphragm chamber having a piston and diaphragm positioned therein, and means between the said pistonand the said member f or moving the said latch to release the said clapper when fluid pressure is applied to the said diaphragm. I

HARRY N. RIDER. 

